Days 78-119 of My Journey- 5/31-7/11/2010

It has been way too long since I last updated. The time just really got away from me lately. I have a few exciting things to report. The most exciting one for me is that I have finally hit a major milestone in terms of the amount of weight I have lost. I have been able to shop in some new stores and bought some new summer clothes in smaller sizes! This shopping thing might not be good since I need to watch how much I am spending. I have even been browsing the clothes in smaller sizes already looking for future purchases!

I recently bought a new bike and have started to add this to my workout regimen. I had not ridden a bike in about 20 years, but I didn't think I would have a problem remembering how to ride. After all, "It's just like riding a bike"- you never forget- or so I thought. The first night I had the bike, I was riding in the driveway and fell off the bike when I tried to turn- right in front of the neighbors! It took a few practice runs, but I am now able to ride. In fact, I went for a 4.5 mile ride with Joe last week and it felt really good.

My new gym opened about a month ago and I love it. It has much more to offer than my last gym and for half of the cost. I have been using a new cardio machine called an arc trainer. It is kind of like a combination of a stair climber and an elliptical. It doesn't cause as much impact to my knees as the elliptical and still gives an awesome workout. The gym also has a 30 minute circuit training area. It has 20 stations total (10 weight machines and 10 cardio stations). This is also a very challenging and complete workout that I really enjoy- especially when I am short on time.

Perhaps the most important thing I can share is my progress on controlling my diet. I have been reading a book called "Women, Food, and God" by Geneen Roth. I am considering blogging about each chapter, or at least the major highlights of the book that have helped me. I haven't decided how I want to do this yet. I highly recommend this book. It has really hit home for me and parts of it have forced me to face things about myself that I have avoided for many years. It has and continues to be a difficult process. I know I have to maintain my focus on this journey. I know I am literally fighting for my life- not just physically, but also emotionally, socially, spiritually, and professionally. If you are or know someone who is an emotional eater, you may want to consider reading this book. I know it has helped me immensely to learn to control my eating habits.

Thank you all for your support and encouragement. It means the world to me. Feel free to contact me if I can be of any assistance.